Rotatable disk number game device



Patented Aug. 5,

imam

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE ROTATABLE DISK NUMBER GANEE DEVICE Walter W. Marseille, San Francisco, Calif.

Application June 19, 1950, Serial No. 168,935

3 Claims. 1

This invention relates to games and particularly to a device adapted to be used in a game of skill and chance.

It is an object of this invention to provide a game device that makes it possible for two or more players to play various entertaining and educative games, which may be played as games of chance in a hit-or-miss fashion or as games of skill based on an analysis of the possibilities of moves that the device offers.

Other objects and advantages of this invention will appear from the following specification taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawing in which:

Figure 1 illustrates a plan view of a device incorporating my invention;

Figure 2 represents a cross-sectional detail taken along the line 22 of Figure 1, with the device in play position;

Figure 3 illustrates a View taken along the line 33 of Figure 1, with the device in home position;

Figure 4 illustrates a cross-sectional view taken along the line 4-4 of Figure 2; and

Figure 5 represents a cross-sectional detail along the line 55 of Figure 3.

As indicated in Figure 1, the device consists of a plurality of rotatable members II] which are provided about their peripheries with numerals, as indicated, or other indicia.

The rotatable members H] are provided with centrally located bores and are rotatably mounted upon a spindle II, as shown in Figures 2, 3, 4 and 5. As indicated in Figure 4, spindle II is provided with a predetermined number of longitudinal grooves l2, substantially as shown, which provide a plurality of tapered faces 13 and vertical faces M. The rotatable members are each provided with a recess [6 which houses a detent or pawl l1 and a spring IS. The springs l8 normally urge their associated detents radially inwardly as indicated so that the detents I! act as pawls against the spindle II which, it will be recalled, is provided with longitudinal grooves [2. In effect, a ratchet is thus formed. As the member In is rotated in a clockwise direction, as illustrated in Figure 4, its pawl or detent l1 engages the sloping surfaces I3 with a camming action and continued rotation of the member 10 in a clockwise direction is permitted. However, counterclockwise rotation, as illustrated in Figure 4, is prevented by the engagement of the pawl or detent l! with one of the surfaces M.

The spindle II is provided with a plurality of aligned orifices [9 each of, which is positioned generally as illustrated in Figures 2, 3 and 4, for example, in the plane of the path of rotation of the pawls l1, whereby when a member ID has been rotated to a predetermined point its detent or pawl l'l will be urged downwardly into one of the orifices I9 by the spring 18. When the pawl or detent I1 is so positioned within its cooperating orifice I9, that member ID is locked against rotation in either a clockwise or counterclockwise direction as illustrated in Figures 4and5.

The spindle H is provided with a centrally aligned bore which forms a housing for a member 2| which, as illustrated in FiguresZ, 3, 4 and 5, forms a supp rt for a plurality of latches 22 and a reciprocating key 23. The latches 22 are mounted upon pins 24 for swinging movement about the axes of the pins 24 and are also provided with dogs .26 which are adapted to swing into or out of the orifices 19 in the member II. The dogs 26 are of sufiicient length that when they are urged to the position illustrated in Figure 2 they will force the detents H to a position whereby they are clear of engagement with the orifices IS. The key member 23 is adapted to be reciprocated longitudinally within the member 2! and is provided with a plurality of offset portions 21 generally as shown in Figures 2 and 3. When the key 23 is urged to the position illustrated in Figure 2, the offset portions 21 will engage the latches 23, urging the dogs 26 into the position illustrated generally in Figure 2, at which position the dogs 26 engage the detents l1, clearing the same from the orifices l9 thereby allowing the members It to be rotated in a clockwise direction. When the key 23 is reciprocated to the right, as illustrated in Figure 3, the offset portions 2! will no longer engage the latches 22 whereupon the dogs 28 will be removed from within the orifices l3, allowing the detents or pawls l7, assuming the same to be positioned over the orifices It, to enter the orifices I9. If, however, a member It has been rotated to a point where its detent ii is in a position remote from the orifice l3, the member [0 may be rotated in a clockwise direction, as viewed in Figure 4, and may continue to be rotated in that direction until its detent or pawl I! again engages the hole or orifice I9.

The key 23 is normally urged to the position indicated in Figure 3 by the influence of the spring 28. However, the tension of the spring 28 may be overcome by an operator and key 23 may be urged to the left, as illustrated in Figure 2, tending to clear all of the detents ii which retain the members [3 in the proper position with respect to the orifices l S,v

Each of the hub caps 3| and 32 is provided with an indicia which, as illustrated in Figure 1, may consist of a painted dot 33 and-the device is preferably manufactured and assembled in such members I! whereby the members I! will ride over the surfaces [3 and be urged upwardly against the tension of spring l6, permitting the continued clockwise rotation of the members l0. However, upon a complete rotation of any one of the members I0 its detent I! will engage its respective orifice l9 preventing further rotation. either clockwise or counterclockwise of the member l3, When all of the members ID have been rotated one complete revolution from the previously described home position, all of the indicia zero will be aligned with the indicia 33 on the caps 3| and 32 and the members ID will again e at home position.

a manner that when it is properly assembled the dots 33 upon the hub caps 3| and 32 will be in alignment with the orifices 18 in the spindle II. In this event, and assuming that the indicia zero are immediately overlying their respective detents ll, it will be obvious that when all of the members l0 have been rotated to a position at Whichthe figures zero are in alignment with the indicia 33 that allfof the detents or pawls I! will be positionedwithin their respective orifices l9 rendering rotation of the members it impossible. This may be termed home position. All other positions of the members l3 may be referred to as play positions. When it is desired'that the members Ill be cleared or freed for rotation, the key 23 is moved to the left, as illustrated in Figure 1,by gentle pressure upon theprotruding cap 34 whereby the offset portions 21 of the key 23 will engage the lower sides of the latches 2'2, urging the dogs 26 into the orifices l9 and forcing the detents I? upwardly against the pressure of the springs Hi to a point at which the detents or pawls I! clear the outer periphery of the spindle H, As has previously been pointed out, the members I!) may then be rotated in a clockwise direction as indicated in Figure 4, but they may not be rotated in a counterclockwise direction as indicated in that figure for the reason that the detent i! will then engage one. oi the radially upright surfaces It.

Operation of the device may briefly be described as follows: Let it be assumed that the device is assembled as generally indicated in Figure 1, in such a manner that when the indicia zero are aligned with the indicia 33 on the end caps 3i and 32, all of the pawls or detents l'! associated with the rotatable member l0 are positioned within their respective orifices I 9 in such a manner that the members I0 are in home position and are locked against rotation. Movement of the member 34 as described will urge the key 23 to the left as illustrated in Figure 2 whereby the offset portions 21 on the keys 23 will engage the latch members 22 and urge the dogs into the orifices l9. As has previously been explained, when the dogs 26 are urged into the orifices IS, the detents I! are urged upwardly against the tension of the springs I8 to a point at which they clear the outer periphery of the spindle H. The members ID are then free to be rotated to play position in a clockwise direction as has previously been described. As the members It! are rotated in a clockwise direction, the detents I! will engage the successive sloping surfaces l3 which will result in a camming action between the surfaces [3 and the V This device may be utilized in connection with a gameas follows:

After the device has been put; in play position by pressing the member 34, as previously describedfin such a manner that the rotatable members I I] may be rotated, two or more players take turns rotating the members 13. Each player rotates one member l0, and I contemplate that the rules of the game require that he move each member H] at least one step. By step I refer to sufil-cie'ntl movement to bring the neXt succeeding indicia into line between the dots 33. However, the player may rotate the member I3 more than one step. When one player has completed the movement or play he desires, the device is passed to the second player who likewise selects one of the members l3 and rotates the same one or more steps. It will be understood that each of the members ill will ultimately return to home position from which it may not be moved. The player moving the last member H] to home position is declared winner. Those skilled in the art will recognize the above described game as being related to the Chinese number game of Nim.

It is to be understood that I have illustrated but one manner of indicating home position, that is by locking each member [3 against further rotation. Other means of indicating home posit n ay l e se b uti ized, includin for example, some signal utilizing sound.

I claim:

1. In a device of the character described, a plurality of rotatable members mounted upon a spindle, pawls associated with said rotatable members which are adapted to engage longitudinal grooves in said spindle to permit rotation of said members about said spindle in one direction only, means comprising a plurality of aligned orifices in said spindle to prevent rotation of said members about said spindle in either direction when the same are engaged by said pawls, a d. p nd comprisin a hollow tube, latch means within said spindle normally disengaged from said orifices, and movable into. and out of said orifices, said latch means adapted to. engage said pawls and. disenga e the same. from said orifices when said means are positioned within said orifices, and a reciprocating key adapted to actuate said latches.

2. In a device of the character described, a plurality of rotatable members mounted upon a spindle, each of said members having a plurality of indicia thereon, and at least one of said indicia being common to each of said members, pawls associated with each of said rotatable members adapted to engage longitudinal grooves in said spindle and to prevent rotation of said members about said spindle in one direction and to permit rotation of said members of saidspindle in the opposite direction, means in said spindle comprising a plurality of aligned orifices therein adapted to engage said pawls in a predetermined point to prevent rotation of said members in either direction, end pieces on said spindle, each of said end pieces being provided with an indicia identical to said common indicia, the orifices in said spindle being so aligned that when said pawls are positioned therein, all of said common indicia upon said rotatable members and said end members will be in alignment.

3. In a device or the character described, a plurality of rotatable members mounted upon a spindle, each of said members having a plurality of indicia thereon, and at least one of said indicia being common to each of said members, pawls associated with each of said rotatable members adapted to engage longitudinal grooves in said spindle and to prevent rotation of said members about said spindle in one direction and to permit rotation of said members of said spindle in the opposite direction, means in said spindle comprising a plurality of aligned orifices therein adapted to engage said pawls in a predetermined point to prevent rotation of said members in 2,

either direction, end pieces on said spindle, each REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 518,316 Grove Apr. 17, 1804 807,927 Henwood Dec, 19, 1905 1,892,664 Eyles Jan. 3, 1933 2,058,056 Brubaker et a1, Oct. 20, 1936 2,150,303 Walker Mar. 14, 1939 2,205,471 Fagerholm June 25, 1940 

